


Let the DJ Rule Your Night

by i_amthecosmos



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: 90's AU, Blowjobs, Club kid/model AU, Disordered Eating, Drug Use, M/M, New York City, references to unsafe sex
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-30
Updated: 2016-03-02
Packaged: 2018-05-17 03:46:42
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,200
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5852776
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/i_amthecosmos/pseuds/i_amthecosmos
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Louis and Harry are models and club goers who meet at work.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Rhythm Is a Dancer

**Author's Note:**

> So, I saw [this picture](http://88linesabout44fangirls-blog.tumblr.com/post/136894442630/au-where-harry-and-louis-are-club-kidsmodels-in) and had to write a WIP based on it. It may or may not be based on experiences of mine from that time. Nobody can prove anything. Thanks for reading.

Louis showed up at his shoot on time. He usually liked to be early, but it was barely dawn and he’d come in from a night out. He’d stopped his place long enough to shower the cigarette stink off of him, and came down soon as he could. 

“Hey,” said Nancy, a makeup artists and the only person he knew at this one. He grinned and hugged her, and she hugged him back. She was a sweet girl. “I’m gonna make you up today, do some eyeliner. We need a dirty boy look today.” 

“My favorite kind,” Louis said, and then he sat down to let Nancy and the bloke doing his hair get to work while everyone else whirled around. He sipped his tea (Nancy knew how he liked it), and listened to the makeup crew and assistants chit-chat. 

“Where’s the other guy? Someone said. “Wasn’t he supposed to be there the same time as this one?” 

“There’s another guy?” Louis said, just as he walked in. Louis could see him out of the corner of his eye-long dark hair, tall, loping gait, wearing an oversized shirt and some jeans. Louis thought he was a nice looking man, but he closed his eyes so Nancy could brush on a little eyeshadow. 

“Sorry I’m late,” the bloke said in a slow Cheshire drawl that made Louis open his eyes again (he got shadow in one, and had to blink it out). He had not expected another Brit. “I got on the train, but it was delayed. Does anyone want a bagel?” 

Louis opened his eyes again, carefully. “An accent like that and you have bagels, not scones? Nope, take it back, American scones aren’t that great, sorry to everyone listening.” 

The other guy looked surprised, then grinned at Louis. “I love bagels. I even know how to make them. I used to be a baker before I left home. You want one? They have cream cheese.” Louis almost took one, but the smell of the yeasty bagels and thick cheese turned his stomach. He shook his head and the boy looked as disappointed as if he’d made that batch himself. “I’m Harry.”

“Louis,” he said back. “Come on and get fixed up, Travis over there is doing your hair I think.” 

“Yeah, time for work,” Harry said, giving him a grin, and giving the bag away to an assistant. Louis was nearly done, so he just stood in the corner and watched as Nancy made him up. Harry had beautiful hair, long and thick, and Travis really made it stand out. 

“Looking good, Harold,” he called from the side, just a bit sarcastic. Just enough so that Harry wouldn’t think Louis was all that interested in him. Harry frowned a bit.

“That’s not my name,” he said, and Louis laughed. “Shut up, do you want me to call you Lewis?” Louis kept laughing. 

“Might as well, last shoot I did, the photographer called me that all day. Never bothered to learn my name, the bastard.” Harry laughed then, squinching up his entire face and making Nancy yell at him. He was beautiful, Louis had to admit. Louis shut up for a bit, and let Harry get ready. “Come on, we’ve got clothes to put on.” 

The stylist came over there then. She looked red-eyed and tired, probably up all night like him. He got dressed in the clothes, which he liked but they weren’t really his style. He hoped he could pull them off. 

Harry, however, wore the black shirt and silver jacket like he’d been born in it. It suited him, at least to Louis’s eyes. He stood up a little straighter, not wanting to be outclassed. After they got dressed, they waited for everyone to set things up, and then the photographer walked in from the back and started bossing everyone around.

“Oh yeah,” Harry said under his breath. “I’ve worked with this guy before.” 

“Oh, you remember his name?” Louis was mocking, but Harry looked at him and gave him a slight nod. “Good.” Louis couldn’t remember the name of anyone, unless he’d banged them two or three times. Then they were ready, and they both looked at the camera when the direction started shooting pictures. 

After a few shots, the photographer asked them both to move. “We need to position you so Louis doesn’t look as short.” Louis glared, but it was a common command at shoots he was in. At least he wasn’t be asked to stand on a stepstool. That had happened more than once. Louis looked over at Harry, but he wasn’t laughing at him. They just moved around until an illusion of height could be reached.

It was a long shoot, or maybe Louis just needed some rest. It was alright though. Harry was a dream to work with, graceful and engaging. They made small talk between rolls of film. Harry moved to New York about eight months ago. Louis had four sisters. Harry liked to go to the Kat Klub and CBGB’s, Louis preferred dance clubs and hip-hop nights. They both liked music. 

“Want to join a band eventually?” Louis said, and Harry smiled at the thought. “I would but it’s hard to meet other musicians here, even though they’re everywhere.” They paused as the photographer shot another role, and yelled at them to get closer together. Louis didn’t think that would sell, if they were up in each other’s space, but he didn’t argue.

“It is hard,” Harry said when they got a minute. “if you’re just starting out, nobody wants to bother with you.” They chatted a bit more, and then they shot another roll, and that was it. They both went to undress, and Louis sneaked a peek at Harry’s body. It was nice and lean, with good thighs and strange looking, puffy nipples. 

Harry caught him looking and grinned. “Hey,” he said, in that impossible drawl, Louis couldn’t even make fun of it. “Why don’t we go out tonight, see a band. Or go to a club, I’d like to dance.” Harry edged closer, even though there was nobody else in the room. “You’d be fun to get high with, I bet.” 

“Thanks,” Louis said easily. “Maybe, but today I just want to go home. I stayed out all night and haven’t slept yet. But maybe I’d see you around, you seem like a good bloke. But…I don’t know if I’m going out tonight. Thanks again.”

“Do you go to Zayn’s? That’s my favorite dance club. He actually pays me a bit to show up, he thinks I attract rich older blokes.”

“That bastard. I’ve known him for ages.” Months, at least, he thought. “And he’s never once paid me to show up at his overpriced place. I can’t believe that. I’m going to…I don’t know what, but I’m going to do something.” 

Harry laughed. “Maybe he will if you come in with me.” And well…it was an invitation. Why the fuck not, Louis thought.  
Louis looked at him, and said. “I’ll give you my phone number. I’m going home and going to sleep. Call me around nine. I can wake up and get fixed up, and I’ll meet you there. Just for fun.”

“Just for fun,” Harry repeated. Louis wrote down his number and gave it to Harry, watching him fold the piece of paper in his impossibly large hand. “Nine o’clock. Have a good time sleeping Louis. I look forward to it.” Harry grinned at him, and it was a bit hard to stand up to the full weight of it. It was like being blinded by the sun. What was this fucker so happy about?

“Yeah, okay. Hope it’s fun.” Louis got his own clothes back on, pulling his t-shirt over his head. He wanted to get home, his nerves were starting to tingle. “I have to go, call me tonight.” He rushed out without even waving, and went out into the too-bright sunny day. 

The ride on the subway seemed endless, and so did the stairs up to his apartment. He finally made it to his place, and it was blessedly quiet, his roommate Niall out, probably working his day job. Louis went back to his room, and his mattress on the floor. Most of his stuff was still in boxes, he had to do something about that soon. But he had other concerns now.

He found the baggie hidden in one of the boxes, with the white powder inside. He took a bump of it, snorting it, and immediately his nerves were better. He was also almost immediately tired. He curled up on his mattress, staring at the poster from A Better Tomorrow on the wall. He stared at it, thinking about the movie, until he nodded off.

…

There was a very annoying noise. 

Louis fumbled, trying to find it and shut it off. Eventually, he realized it was his phone. He slid over and picked it up right before it went to his answering machine. 

“Hullo?” He wondered if it was his mum. Hopefully everything was okay.

“Heyyy…” Louis blinked, he knew that voice. “It’s Harry. Did I wake you? You sound tired. Do you want to go out tonight?” 

“You did wake me, but yes, I’d like to go out. I just need to get ready and get down there. It won’t take that long.” Louis needed to piss, and he probably needed a shower, but otherwise he was just fine. He scratched through his hair. “Will it take you long?”

“Maybe, don’t live all that close to it. But I’ll try to be there by eleven, okay? We’ll just meet in the club, you don’t have to wait around for me, it’s a bit hot.” 

“if I can find you in the club. Maybe we should meet outside. Okay, I need a shower. I’ll see you there around eleven. Bye.” Louis hung up and looked around his dingy room. Okay, time to get up. 

He pissed and showered and fixed his hair, then went to the kitchen in his boxer-briefs to find the orange juice. He chugged it out of the carton. He didn’t have much use for food, but he liked orange juice. 

He went to get dressed, and didn’t fuss a great deal over his clothes, just picking ones he knew he looked good in. He still had some time, so he went into the tiny living room where Niall was, watching movies on their shared TV. “Hey. Going out tonight.” 

Niall made a dismissive gesture. “Course you are. You go out nearly every night. Try to come home before daylight, yeah? You and me need to do some work occasionally.” When Louis didn’t have shoots and Niall didn’t have gigs, they worked as movers. 

“I don’t think I’ll be out that late,’ Louis said. “I met a new model today, he’s gonna be there. He sings, you’d probably like him. He’s very posh, though.” 

“Not always a bad thing,” Niall drawled. He changed the channel. “If he wants to move some furniture too, let me know. Always looking for a new guy.” Niall had his bong nearby, so Louis figured he probably wasn’t going out himself.

“I’ll mention it. He’s a bit frail-looking though.” Louis looked at his reflection in the window and tousled his hair. “Okay, see you later.” Niall gave him a wave and reached for the bong as Louis left. 

…

Louis made it to the club around eleven pm. He waited outside in the heat, the gel in his hair melting, trying to see if he saw Harry. After what seemed like forever, he saw a familiar chipper face in the line. “Hey,” he said as he cut in to stand with Harry.

“Hey,” Harry said when he looked over. He looked surprised, as if he didn’t expect Louis to show. “Feel like dancing tonight? It could be a lot of fun.” 

“Yes Harold, that’s why I came here tonight. That and your sparkling banter.” Harry looked a bit hurt at that, but said nothing. Louis rubbed his face. “I’m already tired,” he grumbled. “Let’s get in this place and get on with it.” 

“We can leave, if you like,” Harry said, sounding a bit put out. “If you’re tired, I mean.” Louis looked over at Harry, getting a good look at him. He looked fantastic, elegant in a shirt that would look ridiculous on anyone else, and his long hair carefully styled. He’d obviously gotten fixed up for this.

“No, let’s give it a try. Could be a bit of fun. If I don’t feel like dancing much, there’s always the chill-out room.” 

“Yeah,” Harry said, brightening a bit. “I have some weed.” 

“Can’t enjoy a chill-out room without it,” Louis said as they came up towards the front of the line. The tall trans girl who was letting people in looked both of them over. She seemed rather cool to Louis, but then looked at Harry and nodded. Louis wasn’t surprised-he was a bit scruffy tonight. They paid and she let them in, and Louis went straight for the bar.

“Vodka and lime please,” he shouted politely as the music blared. “What do you want?” he said to Harry, but he only shook his head. Louis took his drink when it came, and gave the bastard a good tip. “Let’s go mingle, wonder if Zayn’s here tonight.”

“Okay, but I want to dance soon,” Harry grinned at him, and in the light near the bar, Louis noticed that Harry’s pupils were huge. “I’m rolling,” he said, and winked.

“I thought you might be. Okay, we’ll make it quick.” Louis didn’t have much of a taste for X, but he didn’t care if Harry liked it. He had no room to point fingers at anyone. Louis looked around, Harry at his elbow, until he saw Zayn. “Oi! Zap!”

Zayn looked over, his eyes a bit glazed. Zayn tended to like painkillers and cognac, and it slowed him down a bit. But he smiled indulgently when he saw Louis and Harry coming toward him. “Hey. You two know each other?”

“We met today,” Louis said. “Photoshoot, he asked me to come here with him. How are you tonight?” Zayn sipped from his glass and looked around, his packed club full of people dancing.

“I’m alright, it’s a good crowd.” Zayn smiled just a bit, brightening his handsome face and then it fell off. “Liam’s off visiting his parents, I’m home alone for a few days.” Liam was Zayn’s lover, and a DJ at Zayn’s club. He’d been making good money remixing songs too, from what Louis heard. Louis was sure he’d be upset if such a good catch had gotten out of his sight as well.

“Ah,” Louis said. He wasn’t sure if Zayn was the type to pull when his significant other was gone, so he was going to remain noncommittal. Then Harry tugged at his arm when the song changed, and Louis said “Talk to you later, Zayn.” Zayn waved at both of them, and then Harry dragged Louis to the dance floor. 

The floor was hot and loud, and Louis danced close to Harry. Harry couldn’t dance to save his life, twisting and jerking like a marionette. Louis knew he wasn’t that great either, but he tried to keep it at least decent. Harry didn’t seem to give a fuck if he looked stupid. 

They danced for about a hour, and then Harry signaled for a time-out. He ran to the bar to get one of the pitchers of cold water they had for free. Harry drank two cups of it, and Louis was glad. They couldn’t have all the X users overheating and going to the ER, it would be bad publicity. Zayn was a smart club owner. 

“Wanna go to the chill-out room?” Harry said in his ear, and Louis nodded. They headed up a lighted staircase to a room upstairs. It had a heavy door, and when they opened it, there was a large room with mats on the floor and some comfortable couches, playing ambient music. They sat down in an empty corner, and Harry got a baggie out of his jeans. He rolled the joint quickly, and took a deep drag when it was lit. 

“Thanks,” Louis said when Harry passed it over. He didn’t smoke much weed-it made him jittery and nervous when he wasn’t on something else first-but this was pretty good stuff. “Okay, now I’m glad you asked me to come out.” 

“Good,” Harry said, grinning at him. They passed the joint back and forth, sitting mostly in silence. It was bad form to talk too much in a chill-out room, messed with the ambience. 

After a few more minutes, Harry stood up. Louis followed him, expecting to be dragged back out on the dance floor. But instead, Harry dragged him into a dirty, empty bathroom. Louis barely had time to react before Harry pushed him into a stall and kissed him.

Louis put a hand in Harry’s long hair, pulling on it, and Harry moaned and sucked on his lower lip in reaction. After a few minutes of kissing, Harry sunk to his knees, a wicked grin on his face. “Okay?” Harry didn’t want for an answer before he was pulling down Louis’s zipper.

“Wait a second,” Louis said, his voice now sounding too loud to himself. The bathroom muffled the music enough that speaking normally sounded strange. “Do you have a condom? I use them for everything, oral too. I don’t know if I have one with me.” Harry looked at him with confusion, and then shook his head. 

Louis stepped back, his shins connecting with the dirty toilet, and zipped himself back up. “I’m sorry Harry, it’s not you. Just not here, okay? Maybe we can meet again later. Do you want to go back dancing?” Louis was half-hard from seeing Harry on his knees, but he couldn’t go through with this, not now.

Harry took a minute to answer. “Actually, that weed made me hungry. Can you come with me to the diner next door? I’d love to eat something.” Harry gave him a pleading look, his pretty green eyes big in the harsh light, and Louis gave in. 

“Thanks for coming with me,” Harry said when they were seated in a booth near the back. The diner was full, and Harry had already charmed their waitress, asking for juice and more water. Louis got a coffee. “What do you want to order? The burger’s good.”

“I don’t know, I’m not very hungry.” Louis thought about the last time he ate, and counted back. Two days, maybe three. He should eat. “They have some soup, I’ll take that. And maybe a sandwich.” He put the menu down. “I don’t really know anything about you,” Louis said. “But you’re nice to be around. Do you charm everyone you meet?”

Harry looked slightly embarrassed. “Maybe some of them?” He played with his straw. “I don’t know, it’s just…easy, for me. I’m not trying to manipulate people, most of the time. Only if I’m in trouble, you know. Then I lay it on thick.” 

“As do we all,” Louis said. He could approve of that. “I tend to make people not want to be around me, not always on purpose.” That got him a laugh. Then the waitress was back and they ordered, Harry giving her a bit sunny smile before she left. “Dammit, I should have asked for mashed potatoes.”

“I don’t think theirs is very good,” Harry said. “That’s one of those things you have to make yourself.” Louis looked at Harry, and he didn’t seem as wide-eyed as before. Maybe he was starting to come down. 

“Maybe,” Louis said. “I don’t cook, so I’m out of luck there. Hey, let me ask you: do you enjoy modeling? Or could you do without it? I ask models that all the time, and a lot of them would burn the whole profession down if they could.”

Harry twirled his coffee spoon, seemingly lost in thought. “I like it all right,” he said. “I like meeting everyone, and the shoots are good fun. I like the clothes. What about you? You seem like you don’t care that much for fashion.” 

“I sort-of like it. I like the money. I wish I was a better actor, I’d rather do Broadway theater than this. I’ve done a few little plays, nothing all that exciting.” Louis fidgeted a bit. “I don’t care at all about the clothes, you’re right. And you’re also right about it being good for meeting creative people. There’s some great people in fashion. Some right cunts as well.”

“Agreed,” Harry said, toasting him with his juice glass. They chatted about the fashion business for a few more minutes until the waitress brought them their food. Harry had a chef salad, and Louis sipped his chicken soup with rice. His stomach growled a bit when he smelled it, which let him know it had been far too long without food. He had a half-sandwich too, which he nibbled at. 

“Good?” Louis asked, and Harry nodded as he ate his giant salad. It didn’t look very fresh, but Harry was giving it a go anyway. Louis finished his soup in a few minutes, then tried to work on his sandwich. When he was done, he watched Harry nibble at his giant salad. “You don’t have to finish it, you know, if it’s not good.” 

Harry blushed, a bit, looking abashed. “I didn’t want to say that. I ordered it, I should at least give it a chance.” He gamely nibbled at the cheese and meat on the salad, then ate some of the lettuce. “it’s not that bad.”

“Good,” Louis said. He put down his sandwich after he ate about a third of it. “I’m done whenever you are. Where do you want to go after this?” 

“Your place?” Harry sounded a bit shy now. “I want to finish what I started, if that’s okay. I don’t mind using condoms.” 

“You should be using them all the time. You’re in New York, your chances of getting sick is higher than average.” Harry looked abashed at that, and Louis relented. “I still want you, even if you are an idiot. Condoms, though.” 

“Don’t call me an idiot,” Harry mumbled, and he signaled for the check. Harry paid for their food, and they walked down the street towards Louis’s place. It was a short walk, but it was late and Louis had to keep an eye out. Harry didn’t seem at all bothered.

When they got to Louis’s place, Harry grinned and kissed him as soon as the door shut. “Shhh,” Louis said. “My roommate might be here. He goes to the Irish pub sometimes, but otherwise he’s here.”

“Tell him he needs to go out more,” Harry said, impish, and then kissed him again. Louis had to drag him back to his room before Harry tried going down on him sans condom again. They made it to Louis’s little mattress on the floor and Harry stared at it for a minute.

“That’s your bed?” Louis rolled his eyes. “Sorry, not trying to offend. It doesn’t hurt your back?”

“I never have problems with that,” Louis said, and pulled his shirt off. That got Harry back on track, and he started taking his kit off as well. Louis got out some condoms, and pointedly handed one to Harry. “You still want to suck me off?” 

“Yeah,” Harry said. “Do you have any flavored lube? Sucking latex by itself doesn’t taste very good.” Louis fumbled around in his little box he kept his condoms and lube in, and came up with a pineapple flavored one, handing it to Harry. 

“Thank you,” Harry said, which made Louis snort-who was so polite when they were about to fuck? But Harry leaned over for a kiss, and Louis put his arms around Harry’s broad back. Harry ground against him, and Louis found himself liking Harry’s height, the way his body covered his. That thought was disquieting.

“You gonna blow me or not?” Louis snapped, wanting to stop thinking about Harry being bigger. Harry just kissed his jaw and started working his way down, kissing and biting. Louis usually thought that was boring, wanting people to get on with it, but it seemed like something Harry liked to do. 

After another minute, Harry was down at dick level, and Louis could hear him fumbling with the condom. Louis sighed when Harry stroked his cock, then rolled the condom on. Harry then took another minute to get the lube packet open, and just when Louis was about to snatch it out of his hands and do it himself, Harry was coating his dick in the lube and then sucking him down.

“There you go,” Louis said, and Harry giggled around his cock. He was very good, Louis could give him that, and he moved so he could watch, braced on his elbows, as Harry’s lovely mouth took him down. It was dark in the room, but the light from outside the window illuminated Harry just enough, his hair falling around his face. 

It didn’t take long-Harry’s mouth was made for this, and Louis let himself wonder what it would be like without a barrier. Then Harry started playing with his bollocks, and Louis didn’t stand a chance. He came in the condom, Harry’s mouth still wrapped around him, and he groaned. A thud on the other side of the wall told him that Niall was home. “Oh,” he said, and Harry pulled off. 

“Do you want me to…” But Harry was shaking his head. He straddled Louis’s body, holding his cock. Harry’s cock was as nice to look at as the rest of him, big and nicely shaped. Harry winked at him, and started wanking over his body.

“Are you seriously going to wank off and come on my chest?” Harry grinned at him, and it looked more devious than his normal sunny smiles. “Perverted bastard.”

“Shut up,” Harry said, and he kept wanking, getting himself off with little moans and sighs, until he did come over Louis’s chest and neck. “There, thank you.” Harry moved off Louis and snuggled next to him, kissing his neck.

“Not sure what I had to do with it,” Louis grumbled, and Harry giggled again. “Are you going to stay?” Harry hummed something that might be an affirmative, and nuzzled Louis’s neck, already half asleep. “Hold on, gonna clean up,” Louis said, and he pulled away from Harry and went to the bathroom.

The light in the bathroom hurt his eyes, but Louis grabbed a washcloth hanging off the side of the sink and wiped himself off. He looked at himself, and thought he looked a wreck. He was starting to feel it, the little sizzle of his nerves as his body demanded more of his stash. 

But Harry was in the same room with it, and Louis didn’t want to wake Harry up. He would either be horrified, or he would want to share. Louis decided he could do without it, and then looked in the medicine cabinet. He found some Xanax and took a few, washing them down with water from the tap. Then he went back to bed.

Harry was asleep when he got back, and he just curled up around him. Harry was comfortable, and after an hour or so his nerves calmed down enough where he could sleep.


	2. Go!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry and Louis decide that they're friends, and meet up again.

Louis woke up to the sound of banging in the kitchen mixed with whatever music Niall was listening to on the radio that day, and the sun in his eyes. Louis moved to sit up, and realized there was a heavy arm over him. “Ugh, get off,” he muttered, trying to remember the name of who was in his room. 

“Shh,” a deep voice said, and Louis thought _Oh, Harry_ before trying to get loose from his grip. “Wanna sleep,” Harry said. 

“Well, you can, but you need to let me up first. I need to piss, and then go kill my roommate. Okay? Can you move your arm?” That got Harry moving, and then Louis was free to stumble naked to the bathroom. He didn’t feel all that great. 

When he got there, he did piss, and then washed his face in the sink. He looked pale and shaky, to go with how his nerves felt. He went back to his room for a pair of trackies, then headed toward the kitchenette. 

Niall was in there, fixing himself a big breakfast of bacon, eggs and mushrooms, and Louis felt his stomach turn. It was just a regular Irish breakfast, but it was too much for Louis. “There ya are, how are you today? Care to go out on some moving runs? We need a second person for the truck.” 

“I…” Louis almost said no. But he needed the money. Niall was a good guy, but he didn’t like it when Louis was short the rent any more than anyone else would. “Yeah sure. I’m not feeling so great, though. Bit nauseous. But I can lift furniture just fine. Let me get my friend out, he’s still sleeping.”

“We’ve got an hour,” Niall said, but Louis headed back to his room anyway. Harry was already asleep, his soft snores making Louis feel a bit guilty. But he got over it, took a deep breath, and yanked the covers off.

“Hey!” Harry started and sat up. “Give that back, you said I could sleep!” Harry looked adorable, even with bed hair. But Louis just shook his head.

“Sorry, me and my flatmate have got to work today. We’re movers, so unless you want to come along, you need to get some breakfast and head home. Niall will probably cook for you, he’s a sweet guy like that.” 

“You’re movers?” Harry looked more impressed than he should be. It’s not as if Louis was anything that interesting at his day job. “That’s great. You must be strong.” Louis shrugged casually, but he inwardly preened at the compliment. 

“I’m okay. Niall’s really strong though. But yeah, I’m gonna take a shower, unless you want it first. And I need some tea. Would you like a cuppa? I think Niall has the kettle on.”

“I can’t shower with you?” Louis glared at Harry. Sure, that would be fun, but it would run counter to the goal of leaving on time. “Okay, I can shower when I get to my place. And I just need some water.” Harry got up gracefully and started to put his clothes back on. “You go shower, see you in a few minutes.”

“Okay.” Louis went to the bathroom and started the water. He still felt bad, and wondered if he could sneak back to his room for a bump. But no, then he’d be nodding out when he needed to be working. He just needed to willpower his way through the day.

He took a few more Xanax to help.

…

When Louis went into the front room, dressed and as ready for the day as he’d ever be, he found Harry and Niall talking in the living room about music, Niall laughing every thirty seconds it seemed. It got on his nerves, but at the same time it was nice seeing them get along. 

“Hey,” Niall said when he saw Louis. “Get some tea and something to eat. Just talkin’ to your new friend here, he’s got great taste in music.”

“I figured you’d think so.” Louis grabbed a cooled-off cup of tea and a piece of toast. He finished the tea and about half the toast, tossing the rest in the rubbish bin. “Okay, I’m ready.”

“Hey.” Harry stood up, and Niall took that as his cue to go stand in the hallway a while. Harry put down his tea mug and walked closer. “Would you be interested in doing this again?” 

“What, having sex with you and then you sleeping too soundly in my bed?” Harry’s smile wobbled a bit as Louis continued. “I’m not sure honestly. I don’t often do return engagements, but you’re a nice enough bloke and we might still see each other at shoots. In fact, I hope we do, you’re a dream to work with.” That made Harry smile again, tentatively. “But I don’t want a relationship.”

“That’s all right. I wasn’t suggesting we be exclusive or anything.” Louis didn’t doubt it, he suspected that Harry had a lot of friends and lovers. “But I enjoy spending time with you, even if you’re a bit prickly.” Louis scoffed at that. “And I even like your roommate, we’re going to go to his Irish pub sometime soon.” 

“Okay, we can be friends,” Louis said, already planning to ‘lose’ Harry’s messages if he started giving him too many. He couldn’t handle being suffocated. “I don’t even know that much about you. Maybe we can stay in, watch movies sometime.” 

“Yeah. Hey, the Twin Peaks movie will be out soon. We could go.” Louis was about to say something noncommittal when he heard Niall rap on the door. “Oh. I should go?”

“Yeah, we both need to. Give me your number, in case.” In case Louis actually called him. 

Harry missed that, and gave him the number with a cheery smile. Then they hugged, and Harry bounded out the door, Louis behind him, draining his mug of tea.

“Okay Niall, let’s get to work.”

…

Louis got through the day fairly well, he thought. They did a few runs, everyone paid them instead of stalling, and they got done around sunset. When they brought the van back to the business, they headed back with their pay. “Good, glad that’s done. Hey, want to have dinner with me at the pub?” 

Louis thought about it, but the idea of eating in that smelly pub didn’t sit well with him. “I’m not that hungry, but thanks Niall. I can have a beer with you if you like.” 

“You know,” Niall said, suddenly looking at him seriously. “I never see you eat much. Maybe have a bowl of stew? It might do you good. You’re a good mover, and a good model, but you might be losing muscle. You need protein.” 

“You’re not a bloody dietician, Niall.” Louis did not like the turn this conversation was taking at all. “I ate this morning.” 

“Yes, one-half piece of toast. Come on, it’s just dinner, you should have some.” Louis tensed up, about to shout if he had to, and then Niall raised his arms up in surrender. “Okay, how about this: if you don’t want to come eat with me, I’ll try to bring something home, and you can eat it in your own time. Is that fair?”

“Yeah, that’s good.’ Louis’s nerves were on fire now, and he just wanted to get home and get his stash. He couldn’t care less about having any food. “Okay, I’m heading back home. I need a night in.” He waved at Niall, and then took off to catch the train.

When he got home, he immediately got his stash and took a bump. It made him sick, but he threw up in the toilet with no one the wiser, and then sat in the front room, curled up in a blanket, and watched movies as he nodded in an out of consciousness. 

When he came out of it, he had three messages on his answering machine. Two were from his agency, and one was from Harry. Louis frowned-Harry better not be getting clingy already. Louis wanted to like his company, but he could only take so much. 

He called his agency back, they told him he had a potential shoot coming up and to work out a bit for it, since he was going to be shirtless. He said “Yeah, yeah, sure,” and made a mental note to at least do some push-ups before then. When he was done, he hung up and stared at his phone. 

After five minutes, he decided to call, hoping Harry wouldn’t pick up. He got his wish-it went to the answering machine. “Hey Harry, thanks for calling. My day went okay. Let’s try to meet again this week. And tell me what shoots you have, if any. I want to hear about them. Night.” He hung up. There. That settled that.

…

It was five days before he saw Harry again. They played phone tag off and on, and eventually they agreed to meet at another club, this one smaller than Zayn’s. Louis slicked his hair for this, and wore a sleeveless black T-shirt, and Niall started singing the Grease theme song when he saw him. 

“Fuck off,” Louis said, but grinned despite himself. He still loved that movie. “Want to come out with us?” Niall spent too much time in, to Louis’s way of thinking. But Niall just waved his hand in his direction, staring at the TV.

“Nah, you go have a good time. I’ll just sit alone in the dark.” Niall laughed at his own joke, and Louis shook his head. “Have fun.”

“I will,” Louis said, and he headed out. 

…

It took longer to find Harry this time-the lights were so low in this place, and Harry didn’t wait outside for him. Eventually he found him at a corner table, smiling at a man who was about fifty-five and looked wealthy. Louis wondered if he shouldn’t leave Harry alone. If Harry was working this guy, that was his business. 

But then Harry saw him, and beamed in his direction. He gave the older man a kiss on the cheek and then left his ass sitting there while he came over and gave Louis a hug. “Hiiii,” he said, and Louis figured that Harry was a bit high. 

“Hey Harry. Was I interrupting something?” Louis looked back at the older man, but he was already stalking off in disgust, a couple of other young things following in his wake. “You know that guy?” 

“Oh, he’s a friend.” Harry didn’t elaborate, and Louis figured it would be best not to ask. “Let’s dance,” was the next thing Harry said, and Louis didn’t have to be told twice. 

…

The night ended much like the last one, with Harry in his room, the two of them naked and kissing. Harry was slower and a more attentive lover this time, sucking and kissing almost everywhere. Eventually, Louis laid back and spread his legs. “Want me to fuck you?” Harry said, as if he couldn’t believe it.

“Yeah, or finger me while I wank off, if you don’t want to do that.” Harry winked at him, and then got the lube. Louis pulled him in for another kiss, kind of hating how getting fucked made him needy for touch. “Okay, come on,” he said, trying to sound demanding. 

“I’ve got you,” Harry said, and he slipped one well-lubed finger inside him. Louis immediately relaxed, wanting to feel more of Harry. He had such big hands, something he’d noticed since the beginning. Louis bent one knee and pulled it up, giving Harry better access. 

After a few minutes, Louis said “Add another one, come on,” and Harry did, pushing them in deep and grazing his prostate. Louis bit his lip, not wanting to wake Niall up with noise, but it was toe-curling good. Harry watched him with a soft indulgent smile as Louis moved back on his fingers. 

“Don’t get to do this much,” Harry said as he kept fingering him. “I’ve got condoms, I can fuck you if you want.” Louis did want, even if he was only about half-hard. Harry noticed it at the same time, and frowned. “Am I doing something wrong?”

Louis cursed his stash, for a minute. “No I’m fine, it’s not you.” But Harry was already withdrawing his fingers. “No, I mean it, I might not come but I still want you to fuck me. I swear Harry, don’t you dare stop.” 

“Are you sure? I’m not hurting you?” Louis shook his head because _God_ no, he wasn’t, and Harry went back to fingering him, a bit more carefully this time. Louis closed his eyes, glad Harry wasn’t asking too many questions, and just let himself enjoy it. After a bit, Harry pulled his fingers out and Louis could hear the crinkle of a condom wrapper. 

“Still okay?” Louis opened his eyes and saw Harry rolling the condom on, watching him with his bright green eyes. Louis nodded and held his legs up as Harry got into position. Louis breathed out slowly as Harry entered him, pushing until he was all the way inside. Harry shifted, and Louis put his arms around him. 

“Yeah, fuck me,” he said in Harry’s ear, and Harry turned to kiss him as he started to move. Louis kissed back, liking the long, slow thrusts, feeling good, relaxed as Harry fucked him. Harry kept kissing him, a bit needy, at least to him. But hell, if Harry was this good, he could be needy if he wanted. Louis didn’t much mind.

They fucked a long time, Harry’s thrusts getting progressively faster. Louis was holding on for dear life, it felt like, as Harry kept pounding into him. He bit Harry’s neck once, when the feeling in his ass was almost more than he could take, and Harry giggled.

“Don’t leave a mark,” he say between pants. “Don’t want to go to my next shoot with that.” 

Oh yeah. Shoots. Louis will have to call his agency again about his soon. “Okay,” he said, and he pulled Harry in for another kiss. Soon, Harry was moaning and twitching, looking down at Louis. “You can come,” Louis said. “Don’t worry about me.” Harry made a soft noise, and came. 

“Fantastic,” Louis said, meaning it even though he was still at half-mast. “You’re fun to be with,” he said, kissing Harry’s cheek. Harry pulled off the condom, and then reached for Louis’s cock. He looked at Louis, confused, when he found him flagging. “No, it’s not you love,” he said. “I took something a few hours ago, and it made me a bit limp on that account.”

“You did? Okay.” And that was it, Harry didn’t ask. Louis had hit the jackpot, he had a regular fuck friend who didn’t ask too many questions. It was perfect. Harry smiled at him again, and then nuzzled his neck. “I want to sleep now,” he said. 

“Sleep Harry, morning’s gonna come soon,” he said. Harry giggled and then went to sleep. Louis stayed awake a bit longer, feeling pleasantly sore from Harry’s cock. Harry was a decent enough person, he thought. He probably didn’t need to be hanging around with the likes of him. He was still glad that he did, though.

Louis turned his back to Harry, and fell asleep, one long arm draped around him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a short one. Thanks for reading.


	3. Mr. Vain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry disappears for a few weeks, and Louis doesn't miss him.

Louis didn’t hear from Harry for a week. Louis brushed it off, figuring that Harry was busy with his own life, and went about with his. He worked with Niall, got high at home, and went out a bit. Not as much as he did with Harry, but that was fine too. No need in going out too much and getting sick of it. 

“What happened to your friend?” Niall asked one time when they were in front of the TV. An ad for the Twin Peaks movie had come on, and Louis was thinking the same thing. He took a hit off the pipe, and passed it.

“He hasn’t called in a while,” Louis said. “I don’t know what happened to him. I’ve called, and just gotten someone else’s answering machine. So, fuck it. If he calls, he calls.” Niall took a hit next, and exhaled out slowly.

“He just seems like a good guy, is all,” Niall said. 

“Won’t fight you on that point, but he hasn’t called or answered back, so fuck it.” Louis watched the TV with lidded eyes. “Maybe I’ll see him at another shoot.” He didn’t bet on it though. There were a lot of models in New York.

“Yeah, don’t you have one tomorrow? Maybe you shouldn’t be getting high with me, might make your eyes puffy.” Louis shrugged and took a sip of his drink.

“I’ll do my skin care routine before I sleep this time, promise.” Niall laughed, and Louis watched TV in a haze. After a while, he got cleaned up and went to bed. He’d rest a bit, before his shoot, for once. 

…

The next day’s shoot was fun, as far as those things went. He was modeling with a girl, and they were dressed in daywear that didn’t make him want to rip his skin off, so it was decent. He was the only male model, and he didn’t have to stand on a fucking stool, so it was alright.

When it was over, it was about mid-afternoon, and he decided to go to Union Square, get some time outdoors. It was a nice day after all, and he might be due to get some sun. When he got there, the Square was filled with people, some of them smoking up, others sleeping on the grass. A white kid in a dirty Bob Marley t-shirt played guitar a bit too close to him. Louis got a joint, already rolled, out of his pocket and lit it. Nobody ever gets busted here for mere pot, he’ll be fine.

He watched the human parade for a while-drunk people and tourists, gang members and hippies, everyone you could think of. Union Square was great for that, if you ever thought your ego was getting too swollen, this place could bring you back down to earth. 

After a few minutes, he felt suddenly, stubbornly hungry. Louis stubbed out his joint and groaned. He didn’t want to eat, and also he was probably going to feel anxious. Pot was overrated. Louis stood up, stretched his arms overhead, and started walking towards the bookstore. He might sit in there a bit, or go and actually get some food, whichever. He wasn’t looking up, so the ‘hey’ he heard almost went right by him.

Louis looked up, and there was Harry in the doorway to a comic book store. Louis glared at him. “Hey,” he said back. Seemed like a good way to begin. At least it was better than _Where the fuck have you been?_

“Hey,” Harry said again, grinning at him. He had a copy of what looked like an X-Men comic in his hand, and a big grin. “It’s good to see you. What have you been doing?” Louis got out of the flow of traffic and stood next to Harry. 

“I’m alright, had a shoot today. What about you? You’ve been AWOL these past few weeks, haven’t you? You go visit mummy and daddy?” Louis watched at Harry’s face fell. He felt both like a shit for needling him, and a shit for caring what the hell Harry did anyway. He decided to leave it there, then.

“I got kicked out,” Harry said, voice slow and careful. “I was staying at my friend’s place, sleeping on his couch. He had to toss me out when his girlfriend came to live with him. So I lost that phone. I have another number I can give you, I just forget yours so I didn’t call to tell you.” 

“Fine,” Louis snapped, not wanting to seem like he cared one way or another. Or to seem like he actually cared that Harry was homeless. He was a big boy, after all. Could take care of himself. “Give it to me later. Hey, have you see that movie yet? The one you wanted to see earlier?” 

“The Twin Peaks movie? No.” Harry smiled at him then, a small one, hesitant in the face of Louis’s grumpiness. “I don’t have to be anywhere for a few hours. Do you want to go with me?” Louis shrugged. “Is that a yes?”

“Sure, let’s go,” Louis said. “Where is it playing?’ Harry grinned again, and went to get a newspaper.

…

They wound up in a seedy grindhouse that hadn’t been destroyed yet. Most of these were on the endangered list in New York, so leave it to Harry to find one. The afternoon crowd was either stoned or fucking in the corners. Harry snuggled up to Louis with his popcorn, and they watched the beginning.

About thirty minutes into the movie, Louis leaned over and whispered “This movie sucks shit”. A glassy-eyed woman sitting in front of him turned around, startled, and then nodded before facing the front again. Harry looked a bit sheepish, and nodded.

“it’s not as good as I hoped,” he whispered back. “I really thought it would be good.” 

“No way to really know these things,” Louis said lowly, and he decided he might as well go with the flow of this place, and rubbed his hand over Harry’s cock. 

“Oh,” Harry said, and he spread his legs further as Louis touched him through his trousers. Harry tipped his face up like a cat, stretching, as Louis kept feeling the length of Harry’s cock. After a few minutes, he slipped his hand inside. 

It didn’t take long. Harry was very receptive to being touched in public, it must have been a fantasy of his. In just a few minutes he arched and came, sticky, in his pants. Louis pulled his hand out and wiped it on the seat. 

He could feel Harry leaning into him, his breath on his cheek. Louis didn’t react when Harry put his hand down the front of his jeans. He only closed his eyes as Harry quickly and expertly brought him off. After, Harry pecked him on the lips and turned to face the screen. They watched the rest of the movie. 

When they went out into the blistering summer heat, Harry said “Let’s go and get dinner, I need to get your number.” 

“I don’t know if you should spend your money on dinner,” Louis said. “Since you’re couch-surfing and all. Tell you what, I’ll get this one, okay? You already paid for the movie.” Louis didn’t even want to eat, but Harry was in front of him and smiling, and so what could he do, really.

They wound up in a café that had good coffee. Louis got black coffee and another small cup of soup. Then he remembered Niall chiding him about protein, and got a sandwich. Harry got a salad with chicken, and a cup of tea. “Where are you staying now?” he asked Harry.

Harry paused for a few seconds before answering. “With a friend,” he said, and Louis frowned. “He’s a bloke I know, you might have seen him in the club last time.” 

Louis took a sip of coffee. “That older bloke who got jealous when you came over to see me?” Harry nodded, and didn’t look particularly ashamed. “Don’t get mad at this next question, but are you working him?” 

Harry stirred his tea. “Maybe? I guess so. Not really for money, but I’m staying at his house now, so probably. Mostly…just for things.” Harry looked like he couldn’t explain it right, but Louis nodded. 

“Gifts,” he said. Harry nodded back, smiling. “I get it. It’s not my thing, but I get it. I just hope you know what you’re doing. Does he know that you’re seeing other people as well?” 

Harry paused, and then nodded. “Yeah, I told him,” Harry said, as his delicate fingers took his fork in hand. “He sees other people too, so it’s fine. I know he gets jealous sometimes, but it’s not a big deal.” 

“I hope that’s true,” Louis said. “I mean, you’re staying at his place, if he gets jealous you could wind out without a place to stay again. And I don’t want that, you don’t either.” He sipped some of his soup. It was mushroom, and tasted like it had heavy cream in it. His stomach lurched, and he put the spoon down. That was enough of that.

“Right,” Harry said, and he reached over for Louis’s soup. “Looks like you don’t want that. Is it okay if I have some?” Louis shrugged, because sure. Harry sipped at it until it was about half gone. “Yeah, I hope he doesn’t throw me out. He has a nice place, and he says he likes me.” 

“I don’t think it’s actually possible for someone to dislike you,” Louis said, and Harry’s face squinched up in a smile. “You’re a very likeable person. Do you think I see my fucks two or three times, usually? I don’t. But you’re you, so there we are I guess.” 

“Thank you,” Harry said, polite. “After we leave here and I give you my number, we should try to meet up again. If that’s still okay with you.” Harry’s hand strayed to Louis’s sandwich, so Louis picked it up and took a bite. _There_ , he thought. _I ate something, fuck off Niall._

“Of course,” Louis said, and he smiled a bit. The sandwich was just ham on wheat, nothing special, but it didn’t gross him out or make him sick, so he wound up eating most of it while Harry talked about his skin care routine. 

“Huh, glad that works for you,” Louis said when Harry was done. “I don’t have much of a problem with blackheads, but a lot of the time my skin looks a mess. It’s all the drinking, smoking, and other stuff, I suppose.” 

Harry nodded. “Yeah, comes with the territory, doesn’t it? We always like to go out, and it’s hard on our looks. But we’re young, we should be having a good time.” Louis couldn’t argue with that. Harry sipped more of his tea, and then looked around. “I think I should head back,” he said. “I probably need to be at Robert’s place when he’s home, he likes that.” 

Louis felt a warning bell chime in his head at that, but he said nothing. He didn’t know enough about this Robert to really know if that was him being possessive or not. Louis knew he wouldn’t take it, though. “Okay,” Louis said. “Give me your number, don’t forget. And here’s mine.” He wrote his own a paper napkin, and Harry did the same. Then they got up and went their separate ways, Harry hugging him before strolling off. Louis watched him for a second, and then walked in the opposite direction. He needed to see someone now. 

When Louis got home, he put his stash away in its box. Seeing Lucas was always a pain in the ass, but he got what he came for. Niall was still around, so he didn’t take any then. Instead he just holed up in his room, reading a book to kill time while Niall did whatever it was he was doing. Eventually, he fell asleep on is mattress, his book about Hong Kong films next to him.

…


End file.
